Automation Testing

By TestNBug in Automation Basics 1 Comment
Automation Testing

In this modern age, testers are considered as bottlenecks to the delivery of software products. We (testers) are being asked to test more and more functionality in less time. These days with the emergence of different software development models, we need to test many features repeatedly.

This throws up a challenge ‘Time required to run test cases manually’. One way to overcome is to automate most of the test cases that are repetitive and are time consuming. Therefore, we can define test automation as

Developing a software (scripts) to test the software.

 

Benefits of Automation Testing are:

  • Reliable: Test perform same operations each time they are executed – eliminating human error.
  • Reusable: Tests can be reused different versions of an application.
  • Better Quality Software: can run more tests in less time with fewer resources – good coverage.
  • Fast: Tests are significantly faster than human users.
  • Cost Reduction: number of resources for tests are reduced.
  • Replaces manually hard, uninteresting and labor intensive tasks.

 

Automation testing intro

 

Why Tests Should Be Automated:

  • Some manual Tests take long time to run, if the related features are stable then those tests can be automated.
  • Build certification tests (to certify the build) or Smoke tests are required to run as fast as possible inorder to reject a build release immediately, if it is not good. This is a repetitive task which needs to performed on every build that is released for testing.
  • Coding is measured in terms of 100 to 1000’s KLOC (kilo lines of code) and developers need to know fast if there are problems existing and only automated testing is the solution.
  • Features that need exhaustive testing. Compilers are good examples.

When Not to Automate :

  •  Expected behavior of the application is not known .Example : weather application which relies on Real time data.
  •  Inexperienced Testers.
  •  Features which will be rarely used.
  •  Much of the user interface (GUI) will change.
  •  There will be few releases and little repetition of manual tests.
  •  Insufficient Time and resources.

Automated Test Process:

  • Identification of a suitable tool.
  • Identify tests which are of high priorities. Check your priorities with the developers,business analysts etc. The top-priority tests should be part of the smoke and regression test sets.
  • Design the tests.
  • Review the test designs.
  • Automate and run that test such that it can be reused for other scenarios.
  • Document the tests (minimally) such that:
    a. Each function (“login”, “sign out”) has a simple name defined.
    b. Set of tests can be related to a particular scenario and comments are available wherever required.
    c. Any other tester with minimal automation knowledge can run those tests.
    d. A regression suite and set of smoke and confidence tests are identified and maintained.

How much does it cost ?

The cost of automation is based on:

• The cost of the automation tool.
• The cost of training resources to use the tool.
• The cost of creating the automated tests.
• The cost of maintaining the automated tests.
• The cost of assessing the results.

Types of testing tools:

We have many testing tools available in the market. Listing some of them.

Functional automation tools: 

  • Quick Test Professional – from HP
  • Selenium – Open source tool
  • Silk test – from Micro focus
  • Test Complete – from Smart Bear Software
  • Winrunner – from HP
  • Test Partner – from Micro focus
  • Rational robot – from rational
  • Appium – Sauce labs
  • selendroid- Open source


Performance testing tools: 

  • Load runner – from HP
  • Jmetter – open source tool
  • Test Complete – from Smart Bear Software
  • Silk performer – from seague
  • Rational performance tester – from IBM

Test management tools:

  • Test Director – from HP
  • Quality center – from HP
  • Test Manager – from Rational
  • Bugzilla Test Runner – open source
  • JIIRA-  from Atlassian
  • Visual Studio – Microsoft

That is all about Introduction to automation testing . we will discuss some of the tools in future posts. Also, we will be working on creation of automation framework for QTP and Selenium respectively.

[su_divider size=”2″]Project Plan = life cycle model + Project parameters[/su_divider]

 

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